Light in the Darkness
by ARega1s
Summary: Follow the travels of Asher Marr, a Miraluka Sith Warrior, as he must fight to stay alive in the hostile world of the Sith. Along the way, he makes new allies and eventually someone to love. Based of the Light Side Sith Warrior story line in SWTOR. Rated M for language and later content.
1. Chapter 1

Light in the Darkness

Chapter 1: New Arrival and Prisoner Interrogation

**Hey guys. This is my first attempt at a Star Wars fanfic. A little background to this. This will follow the story line of the Light Side male Sith Warrior. From what I have seen, there aren't many stories like this out there. I will deviate slightly from the story in certain parts but I will do my best to keep the basic plot the same. I do not own Star Wars or Star Wars: The Old Republic. R&R and Enjoy.**

As the Imperial shuttle docked at the landing pad, the acolyte stood up and walked towards the exit ramp. As it opened, he could sense the the vast expanse of desert and mountains that surrounded the Vally of the Dark Lords through the Force. Imperial guards gave the man curious looks as he exited the shuttle. Why would an overseer ask for a blind acolyte? Nevertheless, they bowed to the man as he passed and entered the docking bay.

"You there! Slave! Come over here and get in formation!" yelled a disgruntled human.

Turning, the acolyte faced the owner of the voice. "Why the hell Lord Zash would ask for a blind slave, I'll never know. Now do as I say or face the consequences!"

"That is enough, Harkun." said a new voice. Harkun turned and saw Overseer Tremel making his way towards the two.

"My apologies, acolyte. Your arrival seems to be poorly timed at the exact moment of a slave shipment." Tremel said to the acolyte before turning his attention back to Harkun. "I'll have you know that I am displeased at your insult at my guest. I know you hate your job but I would expect you to know that this is no ordinary blind man. This is a Miraluka."

Overseer Harkun sneered at the acolyte before replying. "And what makes him a big fucking deal?"

"Though he may not have eyes, he can see through the force and is a master of the blade, unlike your new batch of slaves." Tremel answered, glaring at the slave overseer.

"Fine. Have fun with your new play thing. I, unlike you, have a real challenge ahead of me." Harkun said before heading over to the line of slaves.

"He seems real cheery." the acolyte said, turning to Overseer Tremel.

"Don't mind him. He hates his job and all the aliens he has to train. Again, I apologize for his rudeness." Tremel replied.

"I've been called much worse, I promise you." the acolyte said, adjusting the metal plates over his eye sockets.

"Where are my manners? I am Overseer Tremel. I was the one that arranged your early arrival."

"Asher Marr." the acolyte said, holding out his hand and shaking it with Tremel.

"Good, good. Now that introductions are out of the way, we must continue. There is so much to do and so little time." Tremel said, inspecting the acolyte.

Asher was of average size and build. He had a fair skin complexion. His hair shoulder length and untidy. The robes he wore were plain and simple and the blade he carried was that of any other new acolyte.

"First things first. We must get you a new weapon. That sword you have is not adequate for the training I have planned for you."

"Where might I find a more suitable blade?" Asher asked.

"I'm glad you asked. Outside this docking bay is a path that will lead you to the entrance of the Tomb of Ajunta Pall. Inside, you will have to fight your way through looters and Klor slugs. Your objective is to find the armory and take from it a Sith Warblade. That should serve you well for later tasks."

"I will not fail you, Overseer." Asher said, bowing to Tremel.

"Once you have found the blade, get some practice with it before meeting me in my office inside the academy." Tremel said before making his way to his personal speeder.

Watching his new master disappear, Asher sighed before making his way towards the tomb. From the looks of things, many new acolytes and slaves were entering the tomb by the blood trail leading to the entrance. Inside, he could see many bodies lying on the floor, human, alien, and beastly. The halls rang with battle cries, blaster fire, and blood curtailing screams. Suddenly, the ground before him began to quake. Asher readied his blade. Out of the ground came what he could only assume was a Klor slug. The creature's maw was filled with serrated teeth and its appendages were clawed. It scuttled towards him, gnashing its teeth. Energizing his blade, Asher rushed the beast, managing to cleave the head off. The body writhed for a moment before collapsing.

"One down, a thousand more to go." Asher mused as he powered down his blade. Progress through the tomb was slow. It seemed as though every five steps he took, another Klor slug popped up. If it wasn't a slug, then it was a band of looters. They were able to at least keep Asher on his toes but were no match for his skill. After half an hour of, Asher finally made it to the entrance of the armory. He could sense that many acolytes before him had attempted to claim one of the many warblades in this room and had failed miserably. Reaching a weapon's rack, he selected one that felt balanced in his hands.

Right as he finished attaching it to his back sheathe, he heard a mechanical clicking. Turning back towards the entrance, Asher saw half a dozen ancient battle droids powering up and making their way towards him.

"Time to see what this blade can do." Asher said before sprinting towards the closest pair of droids. Before they could even pull out their blasters, Asher stabbed the chassis of the first droid before pulling his blade out and cutting of the head of the second. As they fell, the remaining droids began firing. Asher put up a force shield and began planing out his next move. Concentrating, he leapt towards the second pair of droids. With the momentum he built up, he was able to slice through one droid from shoulder to waist before grabbing the second droid and using it as a shield to protect from the incoming blaster fire. As the droid in his hands began to smoke, Asher tossed it towards the final pair of droids before leaping for cover. Seconds later, there was a small explosion, sending droid limbs and parts flying every which way. Looking from behind the cover, Asher saw that the explosion had dispatched the last of the droids.

"Well, it appears that Tremel was right about this new blade." Asher said, grinning down at his new weapon.

After another thirty minutes of fighting through the tomb, the Miraluka finally exited the tomb and entered the Sith Academy. The inside was dark and foreboding. Several Sith were kneeling before the giant obelisk in the center of the main hall while others were discussing in hushed tones. As he made his way towards Tremel's office, he was stopped by two acolytes.

"You there, sightless. Come over here." the smaller of the two called.

"Seems as though Tremel has found a new pet." the thin man said, earning a chuckle from the larger one.

"Who might you two be?" Asher asked, unimpressed with their attempts at intimidation.

"I am Vemrin and this fine gentleman is Dolgis. We just wanted to make sure that you knew who is your better around here."

"I don't quite understand your animosity. There is plenty of room on Korriban for the both of us." Asher replied, standing his ground.

"Maybe but I prefer to be the only star pupil in this academy."

"Let me end him, Vemrin. It shouldn't be too difficult to kill a blind man." Dolgis said menacingly.

"You assume much. Whoever said I was blind?" Asher said, smirking at the two. This angered Dolgis who threw a punch at Asher. Before the punch could connect with his face, however, Asher blocked the punch and quickly pulled the large man into a strangle hold.

"What the fuck is going on? How cold you possibly see that coming?" Dolgis choked out.

Releasing him, Asher replied, "The Force gives me sight, and from what I can see, you are not too pleased to be shown up by me."

"Impressive." Vemrin said, putting a hand on Dolgis' shoulder to keep him at bay. "But you'll have to do better than that to have a chance at beating me. Now run along to Tremel."

With that, Vemrin walked past Asher.

"You better watch you back, freak. Acolytes may not be able to kill each other, but that doesn't mean accidents don't happen." Dolgis growled before catching up to Vemrin.

Sighing, Asher entered the office of Overseer Tremel to see him talking with another acolyte.

"I can't believe you, father! You take on a new acolyte and immediately send him off to get a new warblade? Do you know how long I had to wait and train until I was allowed to get mine?" the girl yelled at Tremel.

"Eskella, please. I don't have time to listen to your wining." Tremel answered, looking over to Asher. "Now leave us and don't breath a word of this to anybody."

"Yes, father." Eskella said before turning on her heels and exiting the office.

"You will have to forgive my daughter. She has a fiery temper."

"My apologies for interrupting." Asher said, bowing before Tremel.

"No need. She may complain but she will always remain loyal to me." he replied. "I see you acquired your new blade. Tell me, how was it against the beasts and the thieves?"

"Better than I expected." the Miraluka said.

"If I'm not mistaken, I believe you ran into Vemrin before entering my office."

"Yes. He seems quite full of himself but nothing I can't handle."

"Good. He will be your rival here at the academy." Tremel said before he began pacing about. "I have overseen the trials at this academy for many years. I have seen hundreds rise to the mantle of power and thousands more suffer crushing defeats. Now it seems that scum like Vemrin are allowed to enter this academy. I will not have it."

"What make Vemrin unworthy of becoming Sith?" Asher asked.

"He does not come from a Sith bloodline. He simply has force sensitivity." Tremel answered, a look of disgust on his face.

Asher remained quiet. He was unsure of his own bloodline. He had heard stories and tales of great forces users in his family but had never investigated further.

"Worry not, acolyte. You are one of the few remaining bloodline that still holds a strong connection to the force. Now, Vemrin is currently trying to win favor with Darth Baras to become his new apprentice. This cannot happen."

"I will do my best to ensure that it doesn't, Overseer." Asher assured.

"Good. Now we must concentrate on your second task. Head over to the prison. There, Jailer Knash will get you started on your interrogation of three prisoners. Question them, learn all you can, then decide their fate. Traditionally, they are either executed or are given a trial by combat. Do with them as you see fit."

"As you wish." Asher said before heading towards the prison. As he entered the prison, he saw a man with a remote in his hand glaring at a female Twi'lek in one of the cells.

"One more peep out of you, little bird, and I'll give you another shock."

"Chirp, chirp, chirp." the Twi'lek teased before she tensed up from the shock coming from the collar around her neck.

"Fuck! Grow a sense of humor, why don't you. If you don't like that, I got several more animals I can imitate. Frog-dog, Manka- cat, Kowakian monkey- lizard."

"Can you do a varactyl?" Asher asked, an amused smile on his face. The girl gave a sly grin towards Asher before giving an accurate varactyl call.

"Bravo, bravo!" Asher said, giving the twi'lek applause.

"Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week." she said, taking a bow.

"Glad you find her so amusing. She's been bugging the hell out of me ever since she came her." Jailer Knash said, turning to the acolyte. "What's wrong with your eyes?"

"I'm a Miraluka. I can see through the Force so my species doesn't need eyes." Asher replied. It was a response he had given many times before but it never got any easier of less annoying.

"Whatever. So Overseer Tremel has brought in three prisoners for you. Normally, acolytes would go off planet for their interrogation but it seems he sees something special in you."

Nodding, Asher followed the jailer to the first of the three prisoners. Inside was a women who looked like she had taken quite the beating. Despite the several bruises and cuts across her body, she still seemed defiant.

"The fuck do you want?" the woman spat, glaring at Asher.

"Pleasure to meet you." Asher responded, earning a snicker from the Twi'lek.

"This one was imprisoned for executing an Imperial spy on Yavin 4. She claims that she neither knows who hired her nor did she know that the person she killed was working for the Empire."

Asher looked long and hard at the woman, reading her body language and her alignment in the Force.

"You seem too valuable to execute. How about we send you to Imperial Intelligence?" Asher finally asked.

"Your offering me a job." the woman asked, stunned at the proposal.

"An assassin like you could be a powerful resource. You will be compensated and have the potential to rise in the ranks."

"Interesting. Never would have thought to do that." Knash said before leading Asher to the next cell. This one held a middle aged cyborg who was pacing his cell nervously.

"What is his story?" Asher asked, inspecting the prisoner.

"This worthless sack of shit is Devotek. He used to be a valuable member of the Sith planetary strike forces until he made a decision that caused the death of thousands of warriors and Imperial soldiers."

"Please, I beg you to allow me a trial by combat." Devotek pleaded.

"No. Granting you a trial by combat would be like a slap on the wrist to you. You will remain here. Maybe then you will find the strength you once knew."

"Damn you!" Devotek screamed, shaking the bars of his cage.

"And I thought death was the ultimate low." Knash chuckled before moving to the last cell. In it was a Neimoidian male.

"This one is a bit of a mystery. His name is Brehg. The charges are that he was supplying forged documents to the Republic."

"That is a lie." Brehg pleaded. "I know I have not been a model citizen but I can tell you with al honesty that I did not forge any documents, nor did I hand them over to the Republic."

Asher could sense that the prisoner was being sincere. "Is there any evidence to his guilt?"

"Not quite. Most of it is circumstantial." Knash replied.

"In that case, let him go." Asher said.

"Oh, thank you! You are most gracious, kind sir!" Brehg said.

"Well that's a first." Knash said in a surprised tone.

"Is that all?" Asher asked.

"That's it, kid. Head back to Tremel and he will go over your decisions with you."

As Asher made his way towards the door, he stopped in front of the cell with the Twi'lek.

"Thanks for giving me a warm welcome to this place. I'm sure that the prison could use a lot more of your humor."

The Twi'lek giggled. "Before you go, what is your name?" she asked.

"Asher. Your name?"

"Call me Vette." she replied.

"Well, Vette, it was a pleasure meeting you. I'll be sure to drop by when I have the time." Asher said, giving her a sly grin before exiting the prison.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Battle with the Beast and Choices

**My apologies for the delay in update. School and exams have been hitting me fairly hard. I will update when I can. I do not own Star Wars or Star Wars: The Old Republic. R&R and Enjoy**

Entering Tremel's Office, Asher waited patiently for the overseer to acknowledge him.

"Good, you have returned from your judgement of the prisoners and Jailer Knash has sent his report." Tremel said, getting up from his desk and walking towards Asher.

"Let's start with your first judgement. The assassin that killed an imperial spy. Instead of death or combat, you sent her over to Imperial Intelligence."

"I felt that with her skills, she could become a valuable asset to the Empire." the acolyte responded.

"I agree. More importantly, Darth Baras would be pleased with you decision. Next, Devotek. He caused the death of thousands of Imperial soldiers and Sith Warriors. Instead of death or combat, you let him rot. Why?"

"I believe that with time, he will find the power he once possessed and will be ready to serve the Empire once again."

"While I understand your logic, it is foolish to think that one like Devotek could possible find his strength again. Finally, the forger. Explain your decision."

"After Knash told me that the evidence was circumstantial and listening to his explanation, I believed his innocence." Asher explained.

"This is the one decision out of the others that I completely disagree with. Even if he was innocent, he still leaves the planet knowing the layout of our academy."

"My apologies, overseer." Asher said.

"Be careful of your feelings. What you may think is mercy, others will see as weakness."

"What do you think of my actions?" the acolyte asked.

Tremel sighed. "You are difficult to read, acolyte. You carry the strength and power of the Sith, yet your decisions seem very unconventional. How this will affect you later on in your training, I cannot foresee."

Asher nodded. He was not the typical Sith in any shape or form.

"Now, go rest up. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

Bowing, Asher headed for the acolyte dormitories and entered his room. It was small yet comfortable. Stripping down to his boxers, Asher climbed into the bed and drifted off to sleep.

Waking up the next morning, he discovered that his clothes from the previous day were missing. In there place was a set of Imperial Sith armor. On it was a note.

"These should fair better than the rags you came in with. Overseer Tremel"

Shrugging, Asher put on his new armor and made his way to the academy mess hall. He quickly ate before packing away some fruit and water in a napkin. Asher then made his way quietly towards the academy's jail. Knash was either still asleep or out on an errand because the jail was completely empty except for Vette.

Vette woke to the sound of someone gently tapping on the bars of her cell. She initially thought it was Knash but was surprised to see it was the Sith she had met yesterday.

"Thought you might like something to eat. The food for the prisoners must be terrible." the Sith chuckled, handing her a bundle of food.

"Believe me, a couple more days of that slop and I may seriously think of dying of hunger." Vette giggled. "I appreciate the food."

"No problem." Asher said, taking a seat in front of her cell.

"You know," Vette said through a mouthful of fruit, "you aren't like all the other Sith. You seem more... I don't know...merciful? Peaceful? Light sidey?"

"It's complicated to explain. I enjoy the freedom of being a Sith but I don't condone the heartless violence other Sith relish. I also feel that acts of charity and mercy can go much further than cruelty and punishment." Asher replied.

"That's something you don't hear everyday." Vette said. "Aren't you afraid that you might get caught?"

Asher cracked a grin. "Yes, but the thrill of getting away with my actions makes the fear seem insignificant."

"Now that is something I can relate to."

"So what brings a beautiful Twi'lek like you to this little slice of heaven?" Asher asked.

Vette tried to hide the blush that was creeping on her face but Asher noticed.

"I was trying to loot one of the tombs when some gang of acolytes caught me. They brought me here and slapped a shock collar on me." Vette answered.

"Is it just me or does Knash seem to get a kick out of shocking you?" Asher asked. This earned a laugh from Vette.

"No, I think you hit the nail on the head. I think he's trying to make me so obedient that he can make me his plaything."

"That is wrong and disgusting." Asher said, venom in his voice.

Vette simply shrugged. "Unfortunately, that's the fate of many Twi'lek women. Dancers and pleasure girls."

"I wish there was some way I could help you."

"Unless you have friends in high places, I'm stuck here. I do appreciate your concern, though. I'm even more grateful for the food."

This earned a chuckle from Asher. "You are most welcome. I'll try to stop by when I can."

As he stood up, he felt Vette grab his hand. "If you can, could you try sneaking a bottle of Tarisian Ale my way?"

Asher gave her a sly grin before kissing her hand. "As you wish."

Making his way out of the prison and towards Tremel's office, Asher felt he could take on any new challenge without breaking a sweat.

Upon entering, he saw the overseer reading over a datapad. Looking up, Tremel set the pad down and looked over the acolyte.

"Good, I see you find your new armor suitable. Now, your task for today is extremely difficult."

"I'm ready for anything, overseer." Asher replied.

"Good. You will be making your way to the Tomb of Marka Ragnos. Inside, you must defeat the beast that is said to be lurking there. I recommend sitting among the flames of the main alter."

"I shall return once I have slain the beast." Asher said before exiting the office. Exiting the academy, he borrowed one of the speeders and flew to the outpost closest to the tomb. Path towards the entrance was plagued with tuk'ata. On their own, they were no problem. It was when they attacked him in packs that they became a nuisance. When Asher finally entered the tomb, it was deathly silent. Only the crackling of fire coming from the torches could be heard through the caverns.

After walking down a long hallway, he finally entered the main alter chamber. Breathing deeply, Asher kneeled before the hearth and waited. Time seemed irrelevant to Asher as he waited. Finally, he felt the ground shake behind him. Getting up slowly, he turned to face the beast he had waited for. He had only heard legends of the terentatek. Now that he was about to fight one, he felt confident that he could defeat it.

Drawing his warblade, Asher leapt towards the beast and sliced off one of its tusks. The terentatek bellowed in pain and swung its claws at him. Asher rolled out of the way and quickly dispatched the second tusk. Enraged, the beast rushed at Asher. He tried to jump out of the way but the terentatek managed to rake its claws across his back. Asher held in his cry of pain but knew he had to end this quickly.

Ignoring the pain, he rushed the beast while it still had its back towards him and sliced open the right heal. The beast fell forward and roared in agony. Wasting no time, Asher quickly clambered on top of the beast and sunk his blade into the skull of the beast. The terentatek let out one last roar before going limp. As the adrenaline began escaping his body, Asher quickly took off his pack and injected himself with a stim. It wouldn't heal the wound but it would keep the pain at bay until he could make it back to the academy. As he turned to leave, his foot hit one of the tusks he had sliced off the terentatek. Picking it up, he decided it would make an excellent trophy. Tucking it in his pack, he activated his emergency beacon so a shuttle could pick him up at the tombs entrance and take him to the academy.

While the healing droid at the academy had the necessary equipment and supplies to heal his wound, the droid could not administer the aid as there were dozens of other acolytes and soldiers requiring treatment. Cursing the droid, he took the supplies and went to the prison cells. Knash had his feet propped up on his desk, reading a datapad while Vette was playing herself in pazaak.

"Well, look who it is. Tremel's star pupil. What brings you down here?" Knash asked.

"I need medical attention." Asher said, breathing heavily.

"Don't look at me. I got prisoners to watch." Knash sneered.

"Actually, I was hoping if Vette could help me."

"Who? Oh, the Twi'lek. I don't see a problem with that. It's not like she's doing anything important." he said, glancing over at her cell. Vette had noticed Asher enter and could tell he was in pain.

Asher removed his sword and pack and walked towards Vette's cell. Knash opened the door, pointing a pistol at her in case she tried to make an escape, and closed it once Asher was in.

"Just give me a shout when your done. If she tries to do anything, say the word and I'll give her a little zap." Knash chuckled before walking back to his desk.

"What mess did you get yourself into?" Vette asked, helping him to the ground.

"Had to fight a beast in one of the tombs." he said, wincing in pain and handing her the medical supplies. Vette quickly helped him out of his robes, opened a bottle of kolto and poured it on the large gashes that went across his back. She could see him tense up from the pain but he didn't let out a cry.

"Should have seen it. The beast was enormous." Asher said.

"Says the man with no eyes." Vette giggled.

"I have a feeling you have many more jokes where that came from." Asher chuckled.

"Oh yeah." she replied, placing medpacs over the wounds.

"So, doctor, will I live?"

"I think so. I would recommend that you rest here for a little while, though. Just for a few minutes."

"Want to play a couple rounds of pazaak while I recover." Asher asked, shuffling the deck.

"Prepare to meet your maker." Vette said slyly as the cards were dealt.

*****30 minutes and 5 games of pazaak later*****

"Never have I gotten my ass handed to me in such a humiliating way." Asher laughed as Vette won yet again.

"Looks like I'm the master now." Vette giggled.

Before they could set up for another game, Knash walked over with a scowl on his face.

"Not to break up your fun but are you finished?" he asked.

Sighing, Asher grabbed his robes and put them back on with some assistance from Vette. "We're done."

Knash opened the door and aimed his blaster at Vette. Asher gave one last glance at her. "Thanks again for helping me."

"No problem." She said. Before he turned away, she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Remember, you owe me a bottle of Tarisian Ale for beating you." she said.

Asher stood there stunned for a moment before cracking a grin and nodding. As he stepped out, Knash locked the cell and returned to his desk, mumbling about Sith flirting with prisoners. Reattaching his sword and collecting his bag, he dropped his equipment and trophy back off in his room and changed into a new set of robes before heading to Tremel's office.

As he was walking the down the hall to the office, a figure stepped out of the shadows.

"I knew you would be coming around here sometime." Dolgis said, his blade already drawn.

"Did Vemrin forget to put the leash on you today?" Asher retorted.

"That's funny, sightless. What's even more funny is that will be the last joke you ever tell."

"You don't have to do this." Asher said, drawing his warblade. "You can walk away unharmed."

"I think I'll take my chances." Dolgis said before rushing. Asher casually side stepped the sloppy attack. Seeing that he had failed to strike, Dolgis walked with a purpose towards Asher. This time, the Miraluka easily deflected the strikes.

"Fight me!" Dolgis yelled.

"If you insist." Asher said before going on the offensive. He struck fast and hard. Dolgis was unable to keep up with the strikes and received many cuts across his body.

"Enough! Enough! I give." he cried, dropping his blade.

Asher poised his warblade next to Dolgis' neck. "And what will happen if I let you go? Will you try to sneak up on me and take me out?"

"No, your too smart and cunning for that to work." Dolgis panted. "At first I though Vemrin was strong but you have proved me wrong. Let me go and you will never see nor hear from me again."

The acolyte studied the his beaten foe. Finally deciding that he was telling the truth, Asher powered down his sword and allowed Dolgis to limp past. He then sheathed his warblade before entering Tremel's office.

"Ah, acolyte, you have returned." Tremel sighed.

"You don't seem pleased, overseer. I thought you would be congratulating me on my victory."

"While I am pleased that you defeated the beast, its death has produced an unintended side effect. It was so connected to the dark side that when it was slain, it left a tremor in the Force. This tremor was so strong that Darth Baras felt it. Now he knows of your presence and demands you go to his office at once."

"I did not expect my actions to ruin your plan, overseer." Asher said.

"We cannot worry about it now. I need to prepare you on what you should expect when you see Darth Baras. He is extremely cunning and should not be taken lightly. Do not second guess yourself and be extremely cautious of what you say."

"I will do my best, overseer."

"I have a feeling this may be the last we meet. Out of all the acolytes I have trained, I feel that you are my greatest."

"You honor me." the acolyte said, bowing.

"Now hurry. Darth Baras does not take kindly to waiting."

Asher quickly exited the office and made his way to Darth Baras. After hopping on an elevator and turning down a hall, he saw a group of acolytes standing in front of Baras as he talked to them.

"Once you get to the Tomb of Tulak Hord, you must collect the shards from his shrines and bring them to me. Those that succeed will be one step closer to becoming my apprentice. Most of you, however, will die. If you fail to bring me the shards, you will die a most painful death by my hands. Now leave."

The most of the acolytes bowed and left. Only Vemrin and another acolyte stayed behind.

"Seems that Dolgis failed to kill you. I'll just have to try harder." Vemrin hissed.

"Maybe you shouldn't underestimate him, Vemrin." the other human retorted.

"Fuck off, Klemral. If you value your puny existence, you'll stay out of my way."

"I thought I excused you two? Now get out of my sight while I talk to this acolyte alone." Baras called.

"Yes, master." the two said before exiting the office.

"Come here, acolyte." Baras called.

Asher made his way towards the Sith standing in front of the desk. While Baras was quite large, he did not seem like the type of Sith to be underestimated. His helm prevented Asher from reading the man's facial expression but he could sense Baras was not pleased.

"So, you are Tremel's new acolyte. I must say I am disappointed. Allowing you to get claim a warblade the first day you arrive, flying in prisoners to interrogate, even having you kill a beast on Korriban instead of off world. He must be extremely desperate or losing his touch."

"I didn't know that my progress was unorthodox." the acolyte replied.

"That is an understatement. Tell me, do you even know the Sith Code?" Baras inquired.

Asher had no idea what the Sith Code was. Deciding to have a little fun, he answered, "You see, there is the Force. There is a Light Side and the Dark Side. Sith fight Jedi, Jedi fight Sith, and there you have it."

Baras let out a deep sigh. "How you managed to pass your previous trials with that attitude, I'll never know. Fortunately for you, I am here to correct that. Consider me your master now."

"As you command." the Miraluka said, bowing.

"Normally, this lack of training would be death to the pupil. However, the fault in this situation falls on Tremel. Failing to train you in the traditional manner and rushing you through your trials is evidence that he has failed to adapt to the change in Sith teachings. This is an act of treachery and that warrants his execution."

Asher did not like the sudden turn this conversation had taken. While Tremel had been demanding, he still was the one that thought Asher was ready for the Sith trials and encouraged him up to now.

"I will look past your lack of knowledge if you kill Tremel." Baras said, glaring at the acolyte.

"I'll do it but I will take no pleasure in it." Asher answered with a sigh.

Nodding, Baras waved his hand and dismissed him. On the way back to Tremel's office, Asher thought of how exactly he would go about this. By the time he walked in, he knew what he had to do.

"Ah, acolyte. I didn't expect you to return to me. What news do you bring to me?"

"Before I tell you, I ask that you let me fully explain before you react." Asher requested.

Tremel nodded. Taking a deep breath, Asher said, "Baras is displeased with my progression through the trials and my lack of knowledge of the Sith Code. For this, he has commanded me to execute you."

Tremel nodded. "How unfortunate. Either you kill me and get rid of my teachings or I kill you and foil my own plans. Brilliant in every way."

"I believe we have a third option, overseer." Asher said. "He demanded that I take your hand as proof of your death. If you allow me to take it, you can escape Korriban and live on."

Tremel was stunned at this. "Why would you offer this alternative to me? It is not the way of the Sith?"

"You have taught me so much and helped me succeed through these trials. You also have a daughter that still needs your guidance." Asher explained.

"I am stunned. The acolyte teaching the overseer. I will accept your terms on one condition." Tremel said.

"Name it."

Drawing his lightsaber, Tremel answered, "Defeat me in a duel."

Igniting his warblade, Asher leapt at Tremel. His quick and precise attacks forced Tremel on the defensive. Asher knew the overseer could not keep up this pace for long. He let out a violent Force Scream, blowing Tremel off his feet and onto the floor. Before he could rise, he saw the acolyte pointing his warblade at his chest.

"Incredible. In all my years at this academy, I have never seen an acolyte with such skill as you. I concede to you."

Asher sheathed his warblade and helped the overseer to his feet. "You are ready to defeat Vemrin. My work was not in vain."

Tremel summoned his lightsaber to his right hand and ignited it. Nodding to Asher, he quickly sliced off his left hand at the wrist.

"Well, that will be sore for a while." Tremel chuckled, trying to mask the pain he was experiencing. Asher placed his hand on the stump and channeled the Force to ease his pain.

"I appreciate everything you taught me." the Miraluka said, gingerly picking up the severed hand.

"I leave, knowing that our plans will succeed. Though we may never see each other again, know that you have my eternal gratitude. Farewell, Asher Marr."

With that, Tremel bowed and exited his office for the last time. Asher stayed behind for a few moments longer before making his way back to Baras.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Hunt for the Red Engine and the Final Trial

**Alright, we are moving along smoothly on this story. Hope you are enjoying it so far. I will update when I can. I do not own Star Wars or SWTOR. R&R and Enjoy!**

As Asher entered Darth Baras' office, he immediately noticed the presence of another Sith. He appeared to have been discussing something with Baras before he entered.

"Ah, acolyte, you have returned." Baras said, beckoning him forward. "I see that you have done as I have asked. Tell me, how did it feel to strike him down?"

Asher took a deep breath, "It was difficult, my lord. He was great mentor and influence to me. I took no pleasure in taking his life." he replied, giving the Sith Tremel's severed hand.

Baras looked he hand over, confirming that it did belong to the overseer before taking off the ring that was on it. Handing it to the Miraluka, he said, "Take this as a trophy and reminder. Though this task may have been difficult, you are one step closer to understanding the Sith Code."

Taking it, Asher looked it over. The band was gold. The outside of the band was inscribed with writing and a red gemstone was set on top. Seeing his curiosity over the writing, Baras sighed and said, "It's written in the ancient Sith language and says 'The Force shall set me free'."

Putting it on, Asher nodded to his new master.

"Now that we have dealt with Tremel, I still have one more task for you."

"It was my understanding that by killing Tremel that I would already be in your good graces." Asher replied, holding in his anger and irritation.

"Never assume anything, acolyte. That is what led to Tremel's demise. Pray it doesn't lead to yours." Baras warned.

"Now, I can see that you are curious as to why Overseer Harkun is here. He's told me that you have already been acquainted."

Asher turned his head towards Harkun. The overseer scoffed at him. "I still don't understand why you are interested in this filth. He doesn't seem all that impressive."

"Never assume anything, overseer." Asher replied with a smirk.

"You little shit! I'll make you eat those words!" Harkun yelled, igniting his lightsaber.

"Enough, Harkun." Baras commanded. Grumbling and staring daggers at the acolyte, Harkun reluctantly shut off his lightsaber.

"Now, the reason he is here is because we have a special trial in mind for you and one of his problematic students." Baras said. Beckoning to the shadows, a figure appeared that Asher had not noticed before. She was a Sith Pureblood, from what Asher could tell. Her black hair was kept in a pony tail, gold jewelry adorned her face, and piercing yellow eyes. What Asher found odd was that she was wearing the robes of a slave instead of an acolyte.

"I thought all Sith Purebloods were honored and held in high regard. Why is she a slave?" Asher asked.

"Her bloodline has been tainted. Because of this she has been cast down into the lowest class." Harkun answered, sneering at the woman.

"Now, Harkun and I have agreed to send you to out on a mission together, one that many acolytes have failed to complete. Should you two survive and complete the mission, all past sins will be forgiven and you will move on to the final trial." Baras said.

Looking over to the Pureblood, Asher could tell she had gone through many perils to get here. Hopefully they could work together and complete the objective together.

"I accept." Asher said. The Pureblood simply nodded her head.

"Good." Baras said. "Your task is to enter the Tomb of Tulak Hord and start the Red Engine. The way to activate it is through spilling enough blood from the creatures living in the chamber. Once you have spilled enough, a compartment will open and reveal a tablet with some of Tulak Hord's lost writings. Collect the tablet and bring it to us."

"Your hoping that one or both of us die, aren't you?" the Pureblood inquired.

"And if we are, the only way you can prove us wrong is by completing the mission. But after hearing about the many failed attempts, I doubt that either of you will come back." Harkun chuckled.

Sighing, the two left the office and made their way towards the tomb.

"What made Harkun despise you?" Asher asked, trying to lighten the otherwise morbid mood.

"He generally hates aliens but I seem to be the only one that has succeeded in every challenge he has thrown at me. He doesn't like to be proven wrong so this is his way of getting rid of me. What's your story?"

"Originally I was being taught by Overseer Tremel. With him, I was able to progress extremely far in the trials. Unfortunately, after I kill a beast with a strong connection to the Force in one of the tombs, Baras found out and had me kill Tremel." Asher explained.

"So that was what I felt." she said, understanding dawning on her face. "If you don't mind me asking, what is a Miraluka doing taking the Sith Trials?"

"That is a difficult question for me to answer." Asher sighed. "Originally, my family kept close ties to the Republic and Jedi Order. Over time, my mother and her side began to feel restricted by the Jedi Code. Because we are so tied to the Force already, why must we suppress our emotions and feelings for each other? Father got angry and talked with the council to have her and anyone that agreed with her cast out of the Order. He wanted me to stay so I could become a Jedi but I couldn't forgive him for what he did to mother. In the end, we left Republic space and searched for some sanctuary in the Sith Empire. Initially they were wary of us but in time they came to accept us. After several years of living in peace, I was invited to take part in the Sith Trials by Tremel after my Force connection and battle skills had increased."

"I can't believe my luck." the Sith said, a sour tone in her voice. "Your family defects to the Sith and they welcome you with open arms. My father fucks one of his slaves and I get cast out and forced into slavery."

She quickly looked over at him and said, "And don't give me any of your pity. I just want to get this over with so I can be one step closer to leaving this place."

The Miraluka just gave her a sympathetic look and asked, "Could I at least know the name of my fellow condemned?"

"Sasha." she replied with a sigh. "I guess we are in the same boat if both our masters want us dead."

"Glad to see we are on the same page." Asher said with a smile.

After a few more minutes of walking through the tomb in silence, they finally entered the chamber containing the Red Engine. Unfortunately the chamber was host to a nest of Klor slugs. Dozens of hatchlings and juveniles were crawling around eggs while a giant queen sat near the rear.

"Well, shit." Asher said, drawing his warblade while Sasha charged her hands with Force Lightning.

"Just another fucking day in paradise." she said before tossing a jet of lightning at the closest group of slugs. The creatures writhed in pain before exploding in a shower of blood and gore, spattering the robes of the two. Asher then jumped into the thick of the nest and began to cut down any slug that came near him while Sasha provided support from afar. As the extermination continued, they could hear a humming sound. At first it was soft and unnoticeable but for every beast that went down, it became louder and louder. By the time they had dealt with all the hatchlings and juveniles, the sound was deafening. A bright red light was glowing above the alter in the middle of the chamber. Only the queen remained. Angered that her spawn had been slaughtered, she lunged at Asher. He dodged the attack and slashed the beast's back only to see that it barely scratched her dense armor. Sasha tried frying the slug with lightning only to see the beast shake off the attack and target her instead. Sasha used the Force to leap over the beast and land next to the Miraluka.

"Any ideas?" she panted.

"I got one." he replied. "Just make sure you aim for my mark."

"Alright."

Sasha began channeling as much lightning as she could while Asher readied himself for the beast to turn around. When the beast turned, Asher leapt and forced his blade down to the hilt into the beast's chest.

"Hit the blade!" he yelled.

Releasing all her channeled lightning from her hands, she hit the target dead on. The slug shrieked in pain before blowing up in a shower of blood and guts.

Picking up his still intact blade, Asher spat out a mouthful of blood before walking over to check on Sasha.

"You alright?"

"I could use a new set of robes and a bath but otherwise I'm all right."

Just then the two heard a clicking noise coming from the alter. Out came a tablet on an ornate plinth. Walking towards it, the two could sense the power coming off the ancient tablet. Casually, Asher pulled out a data recorder and began to scan the tablet.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Baras and Harkun want us to return this to them. They never said we couldn't copy what was on the tablet for our own personal use." he replied with a sly grin.

Sasha returned the smile and began recording the script on the tablet as well. Once they were finished, the made their way back to Darth Baras' office. All the while, acolytes, slaves, and masters looked on the two with looks of shock and awe. When they finally entered the office, the Baras and Harkun were surprised to see them alive.

"You told me they would die in that tomb." Harkun growled.

"I told you there was a good chance they would. I never thought either of them would make it out alive and with the tablet." Baras said, obviously impressed by the two blood soaked students before him.

Handing them the tablet, Asher said, "We are full of surprises, if you haven't already noticed."

"Indeed you are. I am a man of my word. Both of you are cleared of your previous misdeeds and are ready for the final trials."

"Fuck that! I will never let this puny slave girl move on to the final trials!" Harkun yelled, furious that Sasha was still alive.

Baras quickly turned and put Harkun in a Force Choke. "You cowardly bastard. I am your superior and whatever I say goes. You will not go back on your promise and you will allow this girl to move on to the final trial." he said venomously before releasing Harkun. The overseer gasped for air. "Be grateful that I spared you. You are one of the last remaining overseers in this academy now that Tremel is no more."

"Yes, my Lord." Harkun panted before standing up.

"Now return to your office with your student while I talk with mine." Baras said before turning his back on the overseer.

Harkun bowed before exiting the office with Sasha following close behind.

"I must say you have exceeded my expectations. Very rarely am I surprised and this is one of those occasions."

"Thank you, master." Asher said with a bow.

"When I first saw you, I thought you were no match for the trials I had planned for you yet you have completed them with flying colors. I originally thought that Vemrin would be my next apprentice but you have shut down that idea indefinitely."

Just then, Vemrin and Klemral entered the office.

"Master, I have returned with the shards you asked for." Vemrin said triumphantly, ignoring the Miraluka.

Presenting them to Baras, he quickly glanced at them before setting them on his desk.

"What about you, Klemral? Have you brought me the shards?"

"Y-yes, my lord." the man stammered before showing his shards to Baras.

"Master, Klemral never set foot into the tombs. He simply scavenged the shards off the corpses of failed acolytes laying outside the tomb's entrance." Vemrin said, smirking.

"Is this true, Klemral?"

"Yes, my lord."

"It seems that we are at an impasse. You clearly do not have the courage or bravery to move on through the trials, yet you were able to complete the task through the guidelines that I set." Baras said. Turning to Asher, he asked, "What say you, apprentice? Do his actions deserve reward or punishment?"

Asher looked upon Klemral. He sensed fear in the man yet he was one of the few people that stood up to Vemrin and supported him.

"He should be rewarded. It takes great ingenuity to figure out a solution for the trials as he did."

"I fully agree. Klemral, while you may no longer participate in the trials, I will put in a good word for you to work in the academy jails. While it may not be the most desirable jobs, there is plenty of room to advance if you are diligent. Report to Jailer Knash in the morning."

Klemral looked relieved and bowed to Baras before exiting the office.

"Pardon me, master, but did I hear correctly when you call him your apprentice?" Vemrin asked, pointing to Asher.

"Indeed you did."

"Why? I slaved away for you. Worked countless months to earn your favor. Now that this blind bastard comes waltzing into the academy, you take him on as your apprentice?" the man yelled, fury in his voice.

"Know your place, Vemrin. While he may have just entered the academy, he has just completed two of the most challenging missions that I could give him. He has earned his place as my apprentice." Baras replied.

"Fuck him! I deserve to be your apprentice, I deserve the power!"

"Enough!" the Darth bellowed. "I will have a meeting with you tomorrow, Vemrin. There may yet be a place for you in our order. Just not as my apprentice."

Fuming, Vemrin spat on Asher's blood soaked boots before storming out of the office.

Sighing, Baras turned back to the Miraluka. "You had better get washed up and some well deserved rest. Meet me here tomorrow so we may discuss your final trial."

Bowing, Asher left the office and made his way towards his room. Tossing his ruined clothes into the trash, he jumped into the shower and scrubbed all the blood off his body. It surprised him just how much of his body had been covered by the Klor slug gore by the time he got out and dried himself off. Crawling into bed, he couldn't help but smile and the frustration on Vemrin's face.

"Paybacks a bitch." he chuckled before slowly drifting off to sleep.

Waking up the next morning, Asher quickly put on a new set of Imperial Sith armor before heading off to Darth Baras' office.

"Ah, good morning. Now that you are here, we can get down to business." Baras said as he walked towards the acolyte. "For your final trial, you will be entering the Tomb of Naga Sadow in search of an ancient yet powerful lightsaber. It is locked away in a forbidden cavern. Fortunately, I have in my possession a person that will be able to assist you in entering the cavern, seeing as how she was caught unlocking the tomb before she was caught."

Hearing this, Asher had a feeling he knew who it was and was excited that she would be helping.

"Go to Jailer Knash and have him release the Twi'lek to you. Consider her my gift to you for exceeding my expectations and your instrument to completing your final trial." Baras said before excusing him from his office. Asher calmly exited the office before making a break for the prisons, happy to free Vette. He was so quick in his journey that he failed to notice a shadowy figure slowly following him.

Entering the jail, he was annoyed to see Knash shocking Vette and chuckling as she writhed in pain.

"I'm here to collect Vette." Asher said, giving a disapproving look at the jailer.

"Damn. And here I thought I could get another five minutes of fun out of you." Knash laughed as he turned towards the Miraluka. "I got the orders from Baras so she will be your problem now."

"Problem? I've done nothing to you while you continue to shock me." Vette said indignantly.

Before Knash could press the button to shock her again, Asher interrupted. "I need her unharmed so she can help me."

"Fuck. Alright, have it your way." he said before handing him the collar control. "Incase she gets a bit unruly, just give her a bit of a jump and she'll get back on task. Do it enough, and I bet she'll open those pretty legs for you whenever you want."

Asher simply shook his head in disgust while he let Knash go about releasing Vette from her cell. Then they made their way towards the prisoner contraband check out.

"Two blaster pistols, used." Knash said, handing them over.

"One datapad. One rusty shiv. One set of slicer's tools. And finally, 50 credits." Knash said, handing her a small box of her possessions. As Vette put away her various tools and equipment, Asher signed her release forms.

"Before you go, Baras said I should be expecting some dropout named Klemral. The bastard has yet to show up."

"He will. I can personally vouch for him." the acolyte said before exiting the jail with Vette.

"So, now that I'm free, what shall we do?" Vette asked, grinning at him.

"First, we should get you a good meal before I explain the situation." Asher said, directing her towards the cafeteria.

After getting their food and taking a seat away from the rest of the pupils and soldiers, Asher explained to her what Baras had told him about the final trial and the ancient lightsaber.

"Oh, that chamber. Yeah, I can get you in there. Should be a breeze with the two of us." Vette chuckled.

"That's great to know." Asher replied with a grin. As he looked at her, he noticed how beautiful she looked now that she was out of that dark prison. Her skin was a deep blue. When standing, they were both the same height. She had dark blue patterns going down the length of her leku. Her eyes were a deep purple and every time she smiled, they seemed to twinkle. Slowly, the smile began to fade as he thought what she would do after the mission was complete. He hope she would stay with him on his journey. At the same time, he didn't want to force her to stay if she didn't want to.

"Vette, I was wondering. After we complete this mission, would you like to join me? There are plenty of perks to being the partner of a Sith and I will do my best to protect you."

Vette was stunned by his offer. Now that she was free, she was unsure of what to do? Sure, she might be able to hop on the next shuttle off planed. Anything after that, however, was a mystery. Thinking about his offer, it would be nice to have a friend that was powerful and well connected. He was also the only person in the academy to treat her kindly and with respect.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer." Vette replied with a smile.

Grinning, Asher quickly dashed out of sight for a minute before returning with a bottle.

"Shall we toast to our new partnership?" he asked, pouring her a glass.

"Why not?" she laughed as they clinked glasses before downing the liquid. She was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was Tarisian ale, the drink she had asked him for.

"You really know a way to a women's heart." she said.

"Maybe not all women, but at least to yours." Asher replied, trying to hide his blush.

Vette noticed and couldn't help but blush at his comment.

"Guess you won't be needing this anymore." he said before reaching behind her neck and removing the shock collar.

"Appreciate it. You won't regret taking that off." Vette said, giving him a peck on the lips.

"I could get used to more of those." Asher said with a sly grin.

"Down, boy." she giggled. "If we survive this tomb, you can expect many more."

After cleaning up, the two made their way into the Tomb of Naga Sadow. The tomb was dimly lit with torches and decorated with errie statues. They could hear the occasional tortured screams of unfortunate victims but their trip was otherwise uneventful. After flipping several switches, they finally entered the chamber that housed the secret entrance to the forbidden cavern.

Suddenly, Asher heard someone yell, "Look out!"

Acting fast, he turned and roundhouse kicked the would be assassin. He wasn't surprised to see Vemrin on the ground, recovering from the attack.

"Are you alright?" Klemral said, coming out of the shadows.

"I am now, thanks to your warning. It was the least I could do to repay your kindness."

"Damn you, Klemral." Vemrin spat, getting to his feet.

"You have no honor, attacking him after he bested you fair and square." Klemral said, emboldened by his new found courage. Faster than anyone could react, Vemrin impaled Klemral with his blade.

"Fuck your sense of honor. Know that your friend will be joining you shortly." he said before pulling out his blade and pointing it at Asher.

"Once I kill you and force this slave to get me the lightsaber, I will bring it to Darth Baras and prove that I am worthy of being his apprentice."

"Last chance, Vemrin. Leave now, or perish." Asher warned.

Instead of replying, Vemrin charged at the Miraluka. Taking a deep breath, Asher released a Force Scream, blowing his attacker back before leaping at him, blade drawn. The two fought furiously, the sounds of their fight echoing through the tomb. Vemrin was slowly losing his energy while Asher felt little fatigue. Grabbing him in a force choke, Asher slammed Vemrin into the ground before pointing his blade at his neck.

"You have lost." Asher said.

"I will never admit defeat to you. Kill me now and be done with it." Vemrin panted.

Asher shook his head before sheathing his blade. "There is no point in killing you." he said before turning away. Enraged, Vemrin gather his blade and made one final attack on Asher before the Miraluka decapitated him. Vemrin blinked once before his head separated from his body.

"Wow. Even when you gave him a chance to live, he still refused." Vette said, shaking her head at Vemrin's remains.

Asher quickly turned his attention to the dying Klemral.

"I'm sorry but the wound is fatal." He said to the dying man.

"Don't worry about me. You have already avenged me." Klemral said, coughing up blood.

"Go in peace. Become one with the Force." Asher said, trying to soothe him as Klemral released one more shuddering breathe before going completely stiff.

"That was very kind of you." Vette said, helping him to his feet.

"He deserved some comfort before passing on." Asher replied.

"Well, now that we are alone again, I managed to find the switch to open the chamber." Vette said before pressing an unseeable button on the wall. All of a sudden, two of the statues turned to face each other before slowly backing up into the corner. Slowly, the wall opened like a giant doorway, revealing the ancient chamber.

"Great work, Vette." Asher said, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Could you say that one more time? I think I'm enjoying this partner appreciation." Vette teased.

"Great work, Vette." He repeated before bringing his lips to hers. At first, Vette was surprised at the kiss but then gave into it.

"Dear diary. Today I was released from prison and I got myself a boyfriend who just happens to be a Sith." Vette said.

"Amazing how things work out." Asher chuckled before they entered the chamber. The inside was fairly cluttered. Dozens of statues were lined up against the walls. Walking up the stair, they reached a sarcophagus. Opening it, they found the decaying remains of some unnamed Sith and the lighsaber they were seeking.

"I don't think he'll mind if I take some of these." Vette said, bagging some of the jewels that glittered on the dead warrior's armor. Asher only chuckled as he ignited the lightsaber. It felt powerful, even after sitting in a tomb for centuries.

"Alright, time to head back." he said, turning back to the entrance. Suddenly, half a dozen of the statues jumped off their plinths and were slowly making their way towards the two, unsheathing stone swords. Asher raised his new lightsaber before he felt Vette's hand on his shoulder.

"I can handle these spooks." she said, unholstering her blasters. Vette then began firing on the statues. Much to Asher's astonishment, she was taking them down faster than they could react. Every shot blasted their heads off, causing them to crumble and fall into piles of rubble. In no time at all, she had dispatched all the statues.

"Unbelievable." Asher said, giving Vette a look of amazement.

"See, I'm not just a pretty face and a nice ass." Vette teased.

"You have made a believer out of me." he replied as they made their way out of the tomb.

As they made their way out of the tomb and towards Baras' office, the two were stopped by Eskella and her friends.

"Murderer! You killed my father." she yelled at him.

"Relax." Asher replied, trying to soothe her.

"How can I relax when I see my father's hand every time I enter Baras' office?"

"Think. Just because he has the hand does not mean that your father is dead." Asher explained.

"What? You-you didn't kill him?" she stammered.

"No. He has escaped and is trying to live a peaceful life now." he replied.

"I must see for my self. If my father willingly gave up to you so he could live, he has shamed me." Eskella said before signaling for her group to follow her as they headed for the shuttles.

Entering the office. Baras seemed pleased that the Miraluka had returned with the ancient weapon.

"Congratulation, you have completed the trails. Consider yourself my new apprentice."

"Finally, I was wondering when I would catch a break." Asher said, earning a giggle from Vette.

"Indeed." Baras replied in an irritated tone. "I'm guessing that you ran into Vemrin since he never showed for his meeting."

"Unfortunately, he tried to take the lightsaber and Vette for his own. I could not allow that."

"What a pathetic waste." Baras scoffed. "Now that you are finished, take this shuttle pass and head to the Imperial fleet. There you can gain some additional training before meeting me on Dromund Kaas"

Nodding, the two left the office and made their way towards the shuttles.

"You ready for this?" Asher asked Vette as they took their seats.

"Absolutely. I got a feeling you and I will make a great team." she said before bringing him in for a kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: All Aboard the Black Talon

**Glad to see that you guys are enjoying this story so far. I apologies for the infrequency of my updates. School and life keeps getting in the way. I do not own Star Wars or SWTOR. R&R and Enjoy!**

It had been over two weeks since Asher and Vette had arrived at the Imperial fleet. During that time, Asher had taken the time to specialize his skills in the ways of the Sith Juggernaut. The training was difficult, forcing him to endure countless beatings and duels. What kept him going was knowing that Vette would be there to help him recover from his training and encourage him to keep fighting. While he was training, Vette earned the title of Pazaak Champion of the Fleet. The credits she earned from defeating the former champ and various card sharks helped them buy necessary supplies and a few luxury items.

On this particular occasion, Vette was waiting for Asher to return from his final day of his specialization training. As the door to their suite opened, the Miraluka walked in, tired yet triumphant.

"The champion returns." Vette said, standing up and bringing him into a tight embrace. "Did you surprise your teacher that I blind man could be a a great Sith?"

"I think he was more surprised that I was able to defeat him in a duel." Asher chuckled, giving her a peck on the lips.

"I got a surprise for you." Vette said, picking up a wrapped present on her bed.

Curious, he unwrapped the package. Inside was a new set of Potent Champion armor and another smaller box. Inside the smaller box was a Cyan Blue lightsaber crystal.

"Vette, I don't know what to say." Asher said.

"'You're welcome.' would be a start." she giggled.

Giving her a sly grin, he wrapped his free arm around and brought her into a passionate kiss, their tongues fighting for dominance. "Will that suffice?" he asked.

"I can accept that." she teased.

"So I'm going to guess that if you had enough to buy me these gifts, you also splurged on yourself." he chuckled.

"Your half right." she said. Walking into her closet, she brought out a set of Show-Off's Casual armor and a pair of Black Nebula Heavy Blasters.

"I won the blasters in the same game I won your crystal. And the new wardrobe I bought with some of my winnings." Vette said matter of factly.

"Looks like you need to step up your game if you want the title of bread winner." she giggled.

"We'll see who the bread winner is once I start working with Darth Baras." he said.

"Yeah, I forgot about him." Vette sighed, hanging both their clothes up before sitting on the edge of their bed.

"Vette," Asher said, sitting beside her and turning her head to face him. "Just because we go back to Baras doesn't mean that you are still a slave."

"I know." she said, resting her head on his chest. "I'm just worried that something will happen to you and..."

"Nothing will happen to me." the Miraluka interrupted. "I've beaten impossible odds before. Now that I have you by my side, there is nothing I can't do."

Cupping her chin, he gave her a kiss before the two settled down in their bed for the night.

Waking up the next morning, the quickly dressed and ate before making their way towards the docking bay. Darth Baras had booked them both a flight on the Black Talon to Dromund Kaas, much to their surprise.

"Any reason why he would book us a flight on this fancy looking ship?" Vette asked as they made their way to the boarding ramp.

"Maybe he wants us to feel comfortable before we start to do his bidding." Asher replied.

"Figures. Seems like all the big Sith have their own personal agenda." she sighed.

As they entered the ship, they quickly stowed away their few belongings in their cabin before making their way to the main deck. A short while later, the ship took off and made it's way towards Dromund Kaas.

"Not many people on board." Vette said, observing the dozen or so people conversing.

"What would you expect? Only the rich and privileged can afford a ticket on a ship like this." said a voice from behind them. Turning around, they saw what appeared to be a Chiss bounty hunter sauntering towards them, followed closely by a young cyborg woman.

"So how did you manage to sneak aboard the ship?" Vette asked, a sly grin crossing her face.

"Your looking at the next Champion of the Great Hunt, missy." the bounty hunter replied, running a hand through his black hair. "I see your pretty slick with the pistols yourself. How did you get those beauties?"

"Won them in a pazaak game." she replied. "I'm Vette by the way. This dashingly blind man is Asher."

Asher chuckled a little before extending his hand to the Chiss. "Cassius Ferro's the name and bounty hunting is my game. This lovely lady here is my partner in crime, Mako."

"Pleasure to meet you." Mako said, shaking the two's hands. "It is rare to see a Miraluka in Imperial space, let alone a Sith."

"What can I say?" Asher said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm one in a million."

"Excuse me." a female officer said, walking towards the group. "I have been summoned by the captain to bring you four to the bridge."

"What makes us so special?" Vette asked.

"After searching your records and boarding papers, we have determined that you two," she said, pointing at Asher and Cassius, "are qualified for the dilemma we seem to have. Seeing as you ladies are their companions, you are more than welcome to assist."

"Do we really have a choice in the matter?" Asher asked.

"I'm afraid not." the officer said before leading them to an elevator.

"Now I know how my wife feels to be ordered around by the higher ups." Cassius sighed.

"What is she? Imperial Navy or Army?" Vette asked.

A sly grin crossed the bounty hunter's face. "Republic Special Forces." he whispered.

"How did that happen and how are you still together?" Asher asked.

"If I tried explaining it to you now, I'm afraid we would be her for quite a while. Just know that we get along great as long as we don't interfere with each other's jobs. Besides, we probably shouldn't piss off this officer."

She led them to the bridge where the captain was having a heated conversation with someone on the holo.

"You have your orders, captain. Pursue the Brentaal Star or face the consequences."

"This is suicide." the captain replied. "We have civilians on board and are outmatched."

"Excuse me, sir. I brought you the two you requested, along with their companions."

"Excellent." The man on the holo said, turning to them. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Grand Moff Kilran, also know as the Butcher of Courascant."

"You sure Courascant didn't return the favor?" Cassius chuckled at the man's facial scars.

"Looks like he got on the wrong end of a flamethrower." Asher joined in.

"Why is it that I always have to deal with the comedians?" Kilran sighed. "Now that you got that out of the way, I require your services."

"I have a meeting with Darth Baras." Asher said.

"And I have to prepare for the Great Hunt." Cassius added.

"I took the liberty of notifying both your superiors about your delay and they both deemed it acceptable." Kilran replied with a smirk. "Now, your objective is to board the Brentaal Star and capture or kill a defector known as the General. He is carrying vital Imperial intelligence and must be stopped."

"Do we really have a choice in the matter?" the bounty hunter sighed.

"There is always a choice. You could either do what I say or I shall destroy you and everybody aboard this ship." Kilran said.

Turning to the captain, Asher said, "I know you are afraid of what might happen if we go up against this ship, but we don't have much of a choice. We are all in this mess together."

The captain sighed. "I see what you are saying. I guess I never looked at it from that point of view before." Turning to face Kilran, the captain said, "We shall pursue the Brentaal Star and deal with the General."

"Excellent choice. I always prefer things to go my way the first time around." Kilran said before cutting the transmission.

"Get your best boarding parties ready. They will be our enter and exit strategy. We will deal with the General." Asher told the captain.

"You sure that you four are prepared to fight through the ship to get to the General?" he asked.

Cassius chuckled before patting the two blasters at his side. "I've beaten the odds before. With this Sith at my side, I'm sure we could conquer the galaxy."

With that, the four made their way towards the shuttle bay. Entering the boarding shuttle they waited patiently for take off.

"Exiting lightspeed now." came the captain's voice over the radio. "The Brentaal Star is in range. All boarding parties launch."

With a jolt, the shuttle began moving and made it's journey towards the ship.

Asher put his arm around Vette and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "We will make it through this. Trust me."

Vette gave him a smile before giving him a small kiss on the lips. "I know."

"Want me to give you a kiss for good luck to, Asher?" Cassius teased.

"Fuck off." the Miraluka chuckled.

"Well there really is no other place I can fuck off to at the moment. I guess you are stuck with me."

"Approaching hanger bay." the pilot said.

"Ready?" Asher asked, unclipping his lightsaber.

"Ready as I'll ever be." the bounty hunter replied, drawing his pistols.

The ship came to a rocky landing and was immediately peppered by blaster fire. The shuttle doors opened allowing for the Imperial troopers to file down before the four casually exited.

"You get my back and I'll get yours." Vette said, drawing her two pistols. Asher grinned as he ignited his lightsaber and jumped into the fray. With the combine force of Asher's hacking and slashing, Vette and Cassius blasting anybody that wasn't friendly, and Mako providing medical support, they were able to take the hanger with no casualties on their side.

"Now that we are inside, how do we track down this guy?" Asher asked, allowing his Cyan blade to deactivate.

"The General has a cybernetic eye implant. You can track him with this." one of the officer's said, handing over the tracking device.

"That makes our job a hell of a lot easier." Cassius said. "Make sure you keep this hanger secure, boys. We don't want to become permanent residents here."

With that, the four began to make their way through the bowels of the ship. Occasionally they would have a brief skirmish with a small squad of Republic troops but it would be over as soon as it began.

As they came into a large cargo area, they were met with several battle droids and an armor clad Mon Calamari pointing a vibrosword at the group.

"This is where your trip ends, meat. The name's Commander Ghulil. Special Forces. Any last words before I end your miserable lives?"

"I do." Cassius joked. "If you somehow survive this, tell the commanding officer of Havoc Squad that Cassius Ferro sends his regards."

The commander let out a fierce battle cry before rushing the group. Asher quickly ignited his Cyan blade and engaged him in saber combat. Cassius leapt away with some assistance from his jet pack while Vette dove behind a crate for cover before they began engaging the battle droids.

"You can't possibly win, Imperial scum." the Mon Calamari growled.

"That's where you are wrong." Asher smirked before letting out a Force Scream. As the commander tried the recover from the attack, the Miraluka quickly leapt away before Vette began unloading her pistols and Cassius fired missiles while hovering overhead with his jet pack. By the time Vette had emptied her pistols and Cassius landed on the ground, the commander was riddled with holes and burns across his entire body. Asher turned off his lightsaber and inspected the body.

"He's gone." he said.

"Guess he won't be delivering that message after all." Cassius chuckled as he checked his ammo.

"That wasn't too much of a chore." Vette added, reloading her pistols and making her way to Asher.

"Excellent shooting." he said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Thanks. These are much better than my old ones." she replied, patting her holsters.

They continued making their way through the ship until the tracker signaled that the General was behind the door leading to the escape pods.

Entering, they saw an elderly cyborg, hunched over and bleeding, talking with a red-skinned Twi'lek Jedi.

"Please, you have to hurry to the escape pods. The intruders will be here any minute." she pleaded with the man.

"I'm not sure I can make it. That last blast from the Imperial cruiser sent some shrapnel into my stomach." the General panted. "Besides, I can't let you sacrifice your life for mine."

"She doesn't have to." Asher interrupted, making his way towards the two. "Surrender to us and she and the remaining crew of the Brentaal Star will be unharmed."

The Jedi turned to face the group, igniting her green lightsaber. "Seems you arrived sooner than I anticipated. My name is Yadira Ban, member of the Jedi Order. I'm afraid I cannot surrender the General to you. The information he contains is too valuable for the Republic to relinquish."

"I don't want to kill you, but we cannot return without the General. Just let us take him and I assure you that you will not be harmed." Asher insisted.

The Twi'lek sighed before entering a battle stance. "I'll try to make this as painless as possible."

"Unfortunate that we couldn't come to an agreement." he replied before igniting his Cyan blade. She seemed a little confused that he did not have the traditional red saber of the Sith but pushed the thought aside.

The two circled each other while Vette and Cassius drew their pistols. Asher leapt at the Jedi and began a fierce duel. What Yadira lacked in lightsaber skills, she made up with Force powers and techniques. She attempted to keep him in close proximity to her when she gathered the Force around her. Realizing that she was going to lash out in a flurry of slashes that even he would have difficulty blocking, he quickly caught her in a Force Choke and lifted her off the ground.

"Do you yield?" Asher asked.

"A Jedi never gives up." Yadira managed to say.

The Miraluka let out a sigh before quickly slicing off her hand wielding the lightsaber and tossing her to the ground. He quickly summoned the blade towards him before cutting it in half. The Jedi was on the ground, panting and nursing her stump of a right hand.

"I apologize but you left me no choice." he said.

"You have defeated me Sith. I am defenseless. Just know that if you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." she replied.

"Lucky for you there will be no striking down of any kind" Asher chuckled as he helped her to her feet and summoned her severed hand. Giving it to her, he said, "You fought bravely. You may still be able to save your hand if you hurry to the med bay."

"You aren't like any of the Sith I have previously encountered. Besides the eyes, you are merciful, charitable even."

"Just goes to show that not all Sith are out to destroy the galaxy. We just don't agree with everything the Jedi Council says." he replied.

"Very well. I won't forget your kindness." She said, bowing to him.

"Before you go, if you ever meet a Miraluka Jedi by the name of Jonathan Marr, tell him that Asher sends his regards."

A lightbulb seemed to go off in the Jedi's eyes, but she simply nodded and made her way towards the med bay.

"Why do you her to send a message to your father?" Vette asked as she came to his side.

"Just so he knows that mother and I are still alive. Maybe to show him some of his feelings about the Sith aren't all true."

"You think he will ever admit that he was wrong for banishing you two?"

"I doubt it. If anything, I want him to know that even after he cast us out, we did not become the villains he made us out to be."

"I realize this may be a sentimental moment, but we still have to capture this General guy." Cassius interrupted.

Sighing, the two followed the bounty hunter and his partner towards the escape pods. Resting against the wall, the General was panting and clutching his still bleeding side.

"I am grateful that you spared Yadira. She shouldn't have gotten tangled in this mess." he said.

"Allow me to help you." Asher said, taking a step to the dying man before he was stopped.

"I'm afraid that I have lost too much blood and the wound is too deep for you to fix, even with your Force powers. I think it better this way than I be brought before an Imperial court and executed."

"So what made you decide to defect to the Republic with these plans?" Cassius asked.

"I discovered that both the Empire and the Republic were building massive war machines, ones that could destroy whole continents, even planets."

"If this is true, why defect to the Republic?" Asher replied.

"I... thought they might turn the tide of the galaxy for the better. It seems... I was wrong." he panted, slowly sinking to the ground.

"I just... wanted the galaxy... to finally be at... peace." the General said before letting out a final shuddering breath.

"The implant contains the data." Cassius said before stooping down and gently removing the eye implant.

"Better get out of here before they leave without us." Asher said they rushed towards an on ship shuttle that would return them to the docking bay. Running past blaster fire, both enemy and friendly, they managed to board the shuttle and escape the Brentaal Star.

The captain met them in the hanger bay of the Black Talon, a broad smile on his face.

"I can't believe you did it. A couple minutes more and our shields would have been destroyed."

"Thank you. Your are too kind." Cassius chuckled. Handing over the implant, much to the captain's horror and disgust, he asked, "Now, about our fee?"

"Yes, of course." The captain replied, beckoning a pair of Imperial troopers, each carrying a small case.

"Will twenty five thousand credit for each of you suffice?" the captain asked.

"I guess." Cassius replied sarcastically before taking his case. "Pleasure working with you, Asher. We should try to meet up again sometime."

"I look forward to it." Asher replied before he and Vette made their way toward their cabin to rest for the remainder of their trip.

"You know half of that is mine." Vette said, giving him a sly grin.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." he replied.

As they stripped down and crawled into bed together, Vette asked, "Not to sound rude, but I'm surprised that you haven't made any moves on me besides sharing a bed with me and kiss me."

"It's because I know you aren't ready to take things further." Asher replied, resting his head on hers. "I can tell you a little uneasy even when we sleep together."

"It's just that I've never been with anyone before." she said, blushing.

"That is nothing to be ashamed of." he replied.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't be embarrassed." she said, giving him a skeptical look.

Cupping her chin, he said, "Because I haven't been with anyone before either." before bringing her into a passionate kiss. As they separated, Vette couldn't help but giggle.

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Whenever you feel comfortable enough to take the next step, then we will go from there."

Satisfied with their agreement, the two drifted off to sleep.


End file.
